No D.C. Medics Were On Initial Response to Navy Yard Shooting

WUSA9.com On Sep 19, 2013

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) -- The day after WUSA9 shed light into criticism being aimed at DC Fire & EMS, and their response to the Navy Yard incident, we are hearing crucial emergency radio transmissions from the scene of the massacre.

The audio originally provided by broadcastify.com.com lasts about 45 minutes long.

The transmissions paint a clear picture into what emergency responders were up against at the scene. You can hear them coordinating their response and sharing information. Meanwhile the brave men and women were trying to save as many lives as possible while the shooter raged on.

The audio also provides information into wide spread criticism that the department was ill-prepared that day to handle the situation.

According to DC's Firefighter's Union there were a total of 9 DC Fire & EMS units that were operating on a downgraded status on Monday. In other words, there was no paramedic on board.

Of those 9 DCFEMS officials say only 1, Medic 30, was responding to the scene. It just so happens to be that this downgraded medic unit which usually has a paramedic on board was the same ambulance transporting the DC Police Officer who had been shot.

In the transmissions you can hear emergency personnel say, "We currently have a police officer that was extricated from building 197. We are currently putting him in ambulance 30."

The transmission also have a dispatcher saying, "Communication to command 3...be advised we have no medic unit available, but we have ambulance 14 and ambulance 4 being dispatched at this time."

Shortly after that another DCFEMS responder is heard replenishing their number of paramedics. He said, "Alright I've got the training academy bus here. I've got about 22 paramedics on the bus...copy?"

During a phone conversation DCFEMS Chief Ken Ellerbe, he said he would not comment on whether all those 22 paramedics were trainees from the training academy or if they were actual paramedics.

In response to criticism that the department was not staffed well enough to provide proper medical attention to the wounded, a spokesman released this statement:

"The Department made the necessary transports for patients who were injured and provided more than adequate coverage if additional emergency medical assistance was required."